Extrusion apparatus and method



July 28, 1953 c, FlELD 2,646,594

EXTRUSION APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dec. 51. 1948 8 SheetS-Shet 1 INVENTOR.

, CROSBY FIELD BY ATTORNEYS.

July 28, 1953 C, HELD 2,646,594

EXTRUSION APPARATUS AND METHOD I Filed Dec. 31, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CROSBY FIELD Al'l'ORNEYS.

July 28, 1953 c, HELD 2,646,594

EXTRUSION APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dec. :51, 1948 a Sheets-Sheet 3 INYENTOR. CROSBY FIELD M MV-AW ATTORNEYS.

July 28, 1953 c, HELD 2,646,594

EXTRUSION APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dec. 51, 1948' 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. CROSBY FIELD A T TORNE Y5.

July 28, 1953 c, HELD EXTRUSION APPARATUS AND METHOD 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 31, 1948 mmvron.

CROSBY FIELD ATTORNEYS.

July 28, 1953 FIELD 2,646,594

EXTRUSION APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dec. 51, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. l8.

INVENTOR. CROSBY FIELD y 8, 1953 c. FIELD EXTRUSION APPARATUS AND METHOD 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Dec. 51, 1948 I FIGZQ. FIG.30.

FIG.3|

' INVENTOR CROSBY FIELD I CwL'Afl km- ATTORNEYS.

July 28, 1953 c. FIELD EXTRUSION APPARATUS AND METHOD 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec. 31, 1948 INVENTOR. CROSBY FIELD ATTORNEY5.

Patented July 28, 1953 EXT-RUSION APPARATUS AND METHOD CrosbyField, Brooklyn, N. Y.,,a.ssignor.to Flakicc; Corporation, Brooklyn, N.'.,Y.,,a..corp.oration of.

Delaware Application December 81, 1948-, .S'erial No; 68;712

19 Claims. I

This;inventionrelatesto methodszofand appa ratus for converting particlesor. fragments of frozen.- fluid, andgthe; like; into :a; solid mass; more. particularly it pertainssto methods and; apparatus for pressing such fragments into a solid, homogeneous. rod-0n loanv having appreciable mechanical strength; It'is related to the invention described and'claimed in-my United States Patent.No". 2,425,644issued: September 16,- 1947; I am aware-thatthere have been numerous developments. for compacting or-, briquettingproductS incIHdingfrozen-products such asice. My invention, described herein,. is of that. class wherein the; compression is? carried out upon the product as it, progresses. continuously through the;.machine; Thistype-ofcompression is frequently ref erredto as extrusion.

For purposes of: illustration the-invention is described in somedetail and" with some alternate variationssasembodiedin a particular machine for extruding rods' of ice using a supply of ice-fragments. Other embodiments and applications. of the invention-will, of' course, occur to'those skilled inzthe artaafterthey are acquainted with the; construction: and working of the particular machine and. variations described hereinafter.

I have-found. that. ice made in. the; f'orrn of rod pieces. each of a-length one or more. times its transverse width, is; particularly well adaptedfor packing certain, perishable food stufifs and for-use: in refrigerator: car; bunkers and thelike. Such1rod; pieces when frozen hard can bestored under refrigeration. andhandled in much the same; fashionashardcoal. In, accordance with my. invention'Iproducerod pieces ofthis general type-which I shall callherei-nafter by; the term extrods-..

It"-is an object of ,myinvention to. provide extrusion methods and apparatus of the character; described having to a notable extent the characteristics and capabilities set. forth. Another object isto produce, improvedmethods and apparatus which overcome certain of the disadvan tages inherent in the constructions: and opera.- tions of the prior art. A further objective residesqin the provision of improved methods and apparatus for carrying out the manufacture, ofv solid ice massesirom ice. particles or fragmentsutilizing a converging nozzle; action. A- further object is to provide relatively inexpensive: andcommercially feasible apparatus for manufacturing solid ice from thin broken. sheets of; ice such as. is produccdby the-methods-end. machinesldisclosed andclaimedinfirosby FieIcLRatr 2 ent. No. 29 05,733. issued June 25,,1935,]Crosby FieldPatentNo. 2,005,735! issued June.,25, 1935, Frank. ShortPatent No. 2,303,664- issued Decem: her 1, 1942,.Frank: Short Patent No. 2,310,468,. issued February 9,- 1943, and Francis M. Raver Patent No.,2,3.08,-54=1 issuedJanuary 19, 1943. It

is a further object of my invention. to provide a machine inwhich all partsmove-in one direction: continuously. as distinguished from such machines as, described. and claimed. in. Crosby. EieldBatent-No. 2,425;237,issued August 5, 1947. A still further object is to provide in the com-.- pression system, of anextruder a resilientmember such that the pressure on ice being compact-- capacity, of.- relatively small size, and whichcan,

be adapted with only slight modification to. a wide variety. of products-.. Other objectswillin part be pointed out as the description proceedsand will .in: part become apparent therefrom.

The invention accordingly consists. of thefeatures of construction, combinations of. elements,

methods of operation and arrangements of. part as. will beexemplified. in the structure and. se-

quences and groups of related steps to-beherein after described. and, the-.scope 1 of the, application of which. will beset. forthinthe accompanying. claims.

In. this, specification and the. accompanying.

drawings I have shown. and. described a pre ferred. embodiment of. myinvention and. suggested various modifications thereof; but it is tobe understood-that. these are not intendedto be exhaustive. nor. limiting of. the invention, but,

on the contrary, are given for purposes of 111115? trationin. order; thatothers, skilled in theart may fully understand the invention. and the A principles 7. thereof.- and the. manner of applying it in various forms, each as maybe-bests-uiteda to. th egconditions .of a.p articular use.

In the drawings: Figure l: is, a. frontviewof the machine;

Figure 2 is substantially a rear view. oi. the

machine l.

Figure 3; .is. afragmentaryperspective view. with: parts. broken. away of, a; portion. of. the machine.

shown in Figure 1;

Figure 1. is: a; partial. section along; th line 3 4- 1 of Figure 1 through the rotor assembly, to be described, but showing a different converging nozzle;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a part of a rotor showing several converging nozzles from which are issuing another of the varieties of extrods, as will be described more fully hereinafter;

Figure 6 is another partial view of the rotor showing the same modification of nozzle as Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a view of an extrod made by the rotor shown in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a form of half-nozzle or wedge which, when assembled with other such wedges between two plates to form a rotor, as indicated in Figure 5, will produce an extrod as shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a view of an extrod made by the rotor shown in Figure 6;

Figure 10 is another form of wedge which, when assembled with other similar wedges between two plates to form a rotor, as shown in Figure 6, produces the extrod shown in Figure '9;

Figure 11 is another form of extrod;

Figure 12 is a half-nozzle or wedge for forming an extrod such as shown in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is another form of extrod;

Figure 14 is a View of a wedge which, when assembled with other wedges between plates to form a rotor, will produce an extrod such as shown in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a top view of the wedge shown in Figure 14 Figure 16 is a view of one form of compressor or pocket wheel;

Figure 17 is a vertical section along the line lll'| of Figure 16;

Figure 18 is a longitudinal section of a modified rotor subassembly showing another embodiment of my invention;

Figure 19 is a vertical section, at approximately full scale, through a nozzle designed to fit the rotor shown in Figure 18;

Figure 20 is a vertical section along the line 20-20 of Figure 19;

Figure 21 is a vertical section of the line 2 I2l of Figure 19-; s

Figure 22 is a vertical section along the line 2222 of Figure 19;

Figure 23 is an end view along the line 2323 of Figure 19;

Figure 24 is a partial horizontal section through a rotor similar to the one shown in Figure 18;

Figure 25 shows a fragmentary plan View, with parts broken away, of still another form of rotor embodying my invention;

Figure 26 is a vertical section along the line 26-26 of Figure 25;

Figure 2'? is a longitudinal section, at approximately full scale, of one of the nozzles shown in Figures 25 and 26;

Figure 28 is a vertical section along the line 2828 of Figure 27;

Figure 29 is a vertical section along the line 2929 of Figure 2'7;

Figure 30 is a vertical section along the line 3B30 of Figure 2'7;

Figure 31 is an end view along the line 31-31 of Figure 27;

Figure 32 is a partial view of a rotor producing two varieties of extrods, one of a circular crosssectional shape and the other square with rounded edges;

'Figure 33 is a sectional view showing for one embodiment the formation of extrods and the feed of the ice; and

Figure 34 is a perspective view of the nozzle shown in Figure 24 indicating the reinforcing construction around the sides of the mouth.

In Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, it will be noted that the first illustrative form comprises a frame I of suitable size and shape to support bearing blocks 3, 5, and I (see Figure 4), together with a motor 9 and such other parts as will be described more fully hereinoelow. By means of a V-belt H (see Figure 2) power is transmitted from the motor to a pulley [3 driving a shaft I5 properly supported in bearings 11 and Ila. At the other end of shaft i5 is a pinion 19 which meshes with a gear 2| driving a shaft 23 properly supported in bearing blocks 25 and 21. Shaft 23 carries a bevel pinion 29 meshing with a bevel gear 31 driving a shaft 33 properly supported in bearings 35 and 37 attached to frame I. The other end of shaft 33 carries a pinion 35 which meshes with a ring gear ii rigidly attached to one side of a rotor plate 43 by which means the motor causes rotor plate 43 to rotate in the direction of arrow &5.

Rotor 33 has keyed to it a shaft 4? (see Figure 4) supported in bearing blocks 3, 5 and 1, its weight being carried by a thrust bearing 49 in bearing block 3 and antifriction bushings 5i and 53 in bearing blocks 5 and 1, respectively. Shaft 47 carries with it a spur gear 55 (see Figures 3 and 4) which meshes with an idler 5'1 carried on a shaft 59 supported in bearing blocks 5 and I.

Pinion 57 in turn meshes with a pinion 6! carried on a shaft 83 rotating in bushings and 51, respectively, in bearing blocks 1 and 5. At the bottom of shaft 6! is attached a pocket wheel 69, shown in more detail in Figures 16 and 17, and described more fully hereinbelow.

As shown in Figure 4, a ring plate H is attached to rotor plate 43 by means of cap screws 13. Shaped spacers or wedges 75, one of which is shown in more detail in Figure 10, are inserted between plates 43 and H to define between each two adjacent wedges an accurately shaped nozzle for the compression of the ice, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

It will be noted that lugs '16 on wedges '15 fit into holes 1'? and 39 in plates H and 43, respectively, and in addition cap screws 13, passing through holes 81 in wedges 15, make the assembled structure substantial and able to resist the large forces generated during compression of ice;

As shown in Figure 4, the surfaces ab and cd of plates TI and d3 are curved, having a narrow point at the section t-t which forms the throat of the nozzle. The cross-sectional dimensions of the final extrod are determined by the section at t-t. Any wedges inserted (see wedge 15 of Figure 10) should have their top and bottom surfaces oonfigured to the same curves 1' as the curves ab and cd shown in Figure 4 and with the narrowest section at t-t. Similarly the curves of the surfaces cfgn and Mom of the wedge should be correspondingly configured.

I have found by experiment that the best results are obtained when a chord (see Figure 10) from the point fg of the wedge to the throttle point tt is at a slope the tangent of which does not exceed .05. The center of a circle of which a radius 1 describes an are on the surfaces hie and mgn should be on a line drawn perpendicular to the surface at the section tt.

The center of a radius R1, R2, etc. (see also Figure 33) describing a curved surface sign or 5: Mom; shouldonnailine perpendiculanto the center; lines oi the nozzle and erected at: the point of intersection of such center line withza' line. joining the. lines t t of the' two; adjacent wedges 7'5. 7

As; shown in Figure 4', platell carries; over. each nozzle outlet a flapperiflfi free to ,turn abouta= pivot;pin 85. carriedcby a boss 88 on plate-.111. The ,purposefof these. flapperswill .be morez-pare ticularly describedhereinbelow.

InFisuresrlfi and '17 it will beanotedthat pocket wheels-s; comprises an upperyfiange Stattachedj tea bottom; fl n e. bys eans oi: canscrews- 9 I Flanges 81 and 89 are configured so as to grasp; firmly-ashape ihssoizru berrfl; Then-size and hap ofithe rotor subass mbly andaoipock ti Wheel 16:91 15 s ch; a to. presenti nron hpocke :of: rubber o: ea h n z emouth 1 as th ro h and: wheel rotate under the influence of motor; 9;, he ng htis h tha ed e; s h: s oi. gur 1 m ets;- an edeey anozzle. uch. a fo f'w d 5. n Eisu 'e g i membranes he lowest point of its'rotation as shown iii-Figures l, 2, 4 and 33. This aligned meeting ofedges-ns and jg is insured by a proper ratio of nozzles and. of pockets in the-rotor and the-pocket Wheel, respectively, and the same ratio in the number of teeth in gear 5.5 and-pinion. 61 (see Figures 3 and 4),.

The. operation ofthe-compactingor extruding then is as follows v (see Figures 1, 2, 4, and 33) small particles-of ice or-othercongealed fluid 94" are fed irom astorage bin by means of a screw conveyor 95, driven'at a speed such that the amount of the product fed shall be somewhat less than the capacity ofthe. extruder, to-a chute Qfidi-recting the small fragments into the annular space flfl-formedbetween plate and shaft fill. In order; to prevent jamming of the iceinthis space I provide (see Figures) a series of'sina ll,

vanes 99 attached toshaft .41 which, as the shaft rot es will isl d e; any particle tending to jam and will promote an even ice flow from the chute exit and between plates H and 43. Because of the angle with the-horizontal atwhich therotor is revolving, ice particles fall between the ring and rotor plates and downwardly around the-pocket wheel, as. shown-morefully in Figure 3:3. Continued rotation-of shaft 63 in the direction of arrow 64, and of rotor plate 43 in. U the direction of arrow 44, carries ice particles;

into the nozzle entrances whereit is compressed by the cushioning actionof rubber ring 93:

Upon putting a machine into operation" there is no ice in the nozzles, consequently any ice pushed into the nozzles as just-described would meetwith no resistance and would simply run out ofthe outlet end. In order to prevent" this, I

have provided for each nozzle a flapper 83-, as

pointed out above, the weight of which is; so disposedabout its pin 85 that the flapper normally closes the outletof th nozzle and offers enough resistance that the ice beginsyto form an'extrod within the nozzle under the impulse of, the pocket wheel 69, as just described.

When an extrodhas been built up; solidly within thenozzle continued operation causes itto move outof the nozzle,- pushing the flapper out of its way about flapper pivot 85, The result isas-shcwn-in Figures 1, 5, 6, and;3-3. When in they open position, as shown at the left in Figure 4, the 7 weight of' the fiapper 83" is so distributedas-to bear-very lightly onthe top oftheextrod ill-l, but

should the a r be-1b k h rrshould the-ma chine teishui ownso to melt: the. ice. then; 75:; im

,. ea hema or dete min lensth; it strikes; break:-

H tainedsubstantiallyn uniform As is well known,

. throughipipe H3, when the; incoming ice has been 3 subcooled beyond: the point where the extrusionpressurealone will produce enough: water to bind I the particles; into ah-omogenous extrodl The; ice ragrnents, supplied often will-be'in a drystage; atra; temperature of; 0 Fahrenheit or even lower, depending upon manufacturing orstorage conditions. By nicely; balancing the amount; oi; water addedv a uniformproduct of hard, homogenous extrodsmay be produced.

, It. will be noted; that extrod H9 shown in Figure 9;,produced by wedges; likewedge 15 of Figurell l asflshown in Figure 6, is square in section with sharp, corners. This extrod works extremely well incertain applications: It isirequently desired, however,; to, have extrods, of differ nt shape such :as-th sa show-n; infiFig-ures 7. .11; and 1 r v ..T h q iifi aehir di13 OWn i i i1 I merely modify the wedge of-Figurezm, as-shown tw wedge I 23 Figure 12, using the same ring androtor pl-atesgll and; 43. as shown in Figure 4;. Because thecross section isno longer rec,-

tan-g ular, compression; is not uniformv and theextrod is not as firm and stronguniformly- Another: extrod; I25 (see Figure, 13-) y of some,-v

what similar shape.- can, be. produced by opening the, distanc e;between ring and rotorplates 7! and 4 3qandsubstituting wedges one of which is shown at [21 in Figures 14 and 15. The re sulting extrod I 2 5- .isa good Y commercial product buttagain, it: is not as; strong as: extrod ll9- shownginz F gure -9,; and;for:the same reasons- :that

extrocl l2]: (seeEigurell) wasnotas strong.-

hgain, it may-"be desirabl e-to. have each exformed to such-r. curved surfaces that an othrough.- a random Lilla-oi, the. entrees 7 is always obtainable. One method of doing this is by utilizing wedges I21, shown in Figure 8, to produce extrod III shown in Figures 1 and 7. It will be noticed that for the first time, wedges I21 (see Figure 8) have shaped top and bottom curved surfaces I29 and I3I as well as the shaped side surfaces as heretofore brought out. The

shaped top and bottom surfaces I29 and I3I duplicate the curves of the curved surfaces of plates II and 43 of Figure 4, already described. Because of this, wedges I2'I can be made longer, complying throughout with the requirements for the tangent of the chord of the curved surface above given, and will produce substantially the same quality of extrod. The requirements for curvature of these surfaces are the same as described in relation to Figure 10 and as shown more fully in Figure 33. Each wedge I2! is provided with a lug I32 forming a support for the pivot pin of a flapper.

In using wedges as shown in Figure 8, it will be noted that it is necessary to undercut the surfaces of plates II and 43 in a fashion similar to that shown in Figure 18 at I21 in order to prevent the building up of an ice ring due to pressure between the edges of the steel flanges of the pocket wheel and the edges m2 of the wedge shown in Figure 8.

I have found that in order to supply the best extrods the arc of convergence on all sides of the extrod-forming nozzle should have the same radius of curvature and the same chordal tangent and furthermore the degree of compression should be such that the cross sectional area of the finished product should be less than 60 per cent of the area at the mouth of the nozzle. I have also found that it is preferable during compression to have the curved surfaces of the nozzle so arranged that at any point along the longitudinal axis of the nozzle the change in distance from the longitudinal axis to any surface through any small increment of longitudinal advance shall be the same, otherwise streaking or stress lines may appear. A good extrod, free of streaks or stress lines, has greater commercial appeal than streaked or cloudy extrods.

The shapes of the ring and rotor plates and of the pocket wheel are such as normally to make the shape of the mouths of the nozzles rectangular or square; the most efficient construction for this type of machine will have a square shape. To maintain the requirements already set forth and to begin'with a square nozzle mouth and end with a round or other shape nozzle outlet provides a problem which I have successfully solved by means of nozzle I33 shown in Figures 19 to 23 inclusive, nozzle I35 shown in Figures 27 to 31 inclusive, and nozzles I31 and I39 shown in Figure 32.

In this type of nozzle I first transform from the shape of the mouth (see Figures 23 and 31), employing a minimum of convergence of side walis in effecting the change, to the desired correct sectional shape (see Figures 21 and 29) and then compress the productby converging the sides uniformly to the finished shape and size (Figures 20 and 28) following the rules laid down hereinbefore.

In Figure 18 I show another embodiment of the rotor of my invention comprising essentially a bottom plate MI and a top plate I43 held together by cap screws I45. Between these two plates is supported a nozzle I4'I of the shape shown in Figure 19, the plates MI and I43 being notched out as at I49 and II to receive lugs I53 8 and I55, respectively. Nozzle I41 carries 3, lug I51 to receive a pin I59 on which a flapper is carried.

In Figures to 31 inclusive 1 show still another embodiment of my invention in which nozzle I35, shown in Figure 27, is upset from .a tube while hot to form the nozzle shown.

Nozzles I are then placed in a mold and cast into rotor ISI, which thus has the equivalent of the top and bottom platesboth cast simultaneously and integrally. After the casting is finished lugs I63 are welded onto the nozzles to provide support for pins I65 on which fiappers can pivot.

As illustrated more particularly in Figure 24., it will be noted that nozzles I6! shown therein are strengthened to provide greater resistance against pressure as the rotor rotates in the direction of arrow I39. This reinforcing is produced by strengthening one side of the nozzle, as shown by lug III, and carryin the side of the coasting adjacent nozzle into the mouth of the first nozzle by means of a lug I73, thus providing a thicker wall H5 against which lug III may bear and shaped to receive the same. In Figure 34 nozzle I Bl is shown in more detail.

With reference to undercut I21 shown in Figures 18 and 26, I have found it advantageous to configure the parts so as to obtain a shallow ledge, or surface, against which the surface of the formed ice in the nozzle will tend to rest at its high point of revolution thus preventing radially centerward. movement of the extrods as the nozzles approach and pass over their high points in the rotation of the rotors about an angularly placed shaft axis.

From the foregoing it will be observed that extrusion apparatuses and methods embodying my invention are well adapted to attain the ends and objects hereinbefore set forth and to be economically put into commercial use since both the methods and the various apparatuses are well suited to employment along with common production methods and are susceptible to a wide latitude of variations as may be desirable in adapting the invention to different applications.

I claim:

1. In the art of extruding a quantity of ice particles to form a solid, homogeneous rod-like piece of ice, that improvement which includes the steps of establishing a flowing stream of particles having a central longitudinal axis extending substantially in a straight line, and constraining the width and height of such stream to cause it to flow within smoothly converging arcuate lines the chords of which, when drawn between the beginning of the stream and the point of minimum cross section, define a chordal angle with said longitudinal axis of tangent not greater than .05.

2. The invention of claim 1 which also includes the step of constraining the area of minimum cross section of the stream to less than per cent of the area of cross section at the beginning of the stream.

3. In the art of producing an extrod of sub stantially craze-free ice of predetermined irregular cross-sectional shape, that improvement which includes the steps of: establishing a flowing ice-particle stream of the predetermined irregular shape at its outlet and of substantially rectangular shape and at least 1% greater crosssectional area at its beginning, and first constraining the width and height of such stream to convert it gradually from rectangular cross seca csegcci 9 tion to a cross section of the predetermined shape and of area no greater than and not substantially less than that of the rectangular cross section, and'thereafter constraining th'estreamto maintain the predetermined shapewhile smoothly reducing its cross section to the area at the outlet.

4. An extruder-'s'ubassembly for a machinefor extruding a 'quantity'of'particles of a product-to form solid, homogeneous rod-like pieces, said subassembly including: a rotor plate, a'coaxial ring plate spaced from'said rotor plate,'and a plurality of replaceable wedges disposed radially between peripheral portions of saidplates; each pair of adjacent wedges together with overlying and underlying plate portions defining a nozzlel-ike converging extrusion channel therebetween.

5. An extruder subass'embly for 'a-machin-e'for extruding a quantity of particles of a product to form solid, homogeneous rod-like pieces, said subassembly including: a rotor, and a plurality of nozzle elements radially disposed around peripheral portions of said rotor; said nozzle elements together defining a plurality of radiallyextending extrusion channel's.

6. The invention of claim wherein said rotor is supported for rotation upon a central shaft and contains an annular chamber surrounding said shaft and lying inside of the peripheral portions wherein said nozzle elements are disposed; said annular chamber forming a particle-receiving space from which to feed particles to said extrusion channels.

7. An extruder assembly fora machine for extruding a quantity of particles of a product to form solid, homogeneous rod-like pieces, said assembly including: a base member constituting an extrusion be'd'an'd presenting a rotor surface; a plurality of evenly spaced, regularly oriented extrusion channels defined within said bed and each having an inlet mouth opening out of said rotor surface; a pocket wheelconstrained. to rolling movement with respect to said rotor surface; said wheel comprisin a plurality of evenly spaced compression pockets extending therearound; the shape of each pocket corresponding to the shape of the mouth of each extrusion channel; and said wheel and bedbeing positively coupled together with said pockets in coincidence with said mouths.

8. Ari-extruder assembly for a machine for extruding a quantity of particles of a product to form solid, homogeneous rod-like pieces, said as-' sembly including: a base member constituting an extrusion bed and presenting a rotor surface; a plurality of evenly spaced, regularly oriented ex trusionchannels defined within 'said'bed and each having an inlet mouth opening out of said rotor surface; a pocket wheel constrained to rolling movement with respect to said rotor surface; said wheel comprising a plurality of evenly spaced compression pockets extending therearound; each pocket constituting a recess defined at least in part by the surface of a rubber-like medium; and said wheel and bed being positively coupled together with said pockets in coincidence with said mouths.

9. An extruder assembly for a machine for extruding a quantity of particles of a product to form solid, homogeneous rod-like pieces, said assembly including: a rotor mounted for rotation about a fixed axis and in a plane intermediate the horizontal and the vertical; a plurality of evenly spaced, radially extending extrusion channels defined within peripheral portions of said rotor; an annular space within the confines of the: peripheral portions of 1 said rotor and on the sidethereof facing'thevertical; a product supply chute leadin'g downwardly to said annular space from above; a rotor shaft extending perpendicularly-*from-the center of "said rotor; and a plurality of :particle dislodgin'g vanes extending radially from around-the'base' of said shaftand operating within said annular space.

"10; 'Anextruder assembly for a machine for extruding'aouantity'of particles of a product to form solid;homogeneousrod like pieces, said assemblyincluding: a" rotor mounted for rotation about a'fixed axis and in "a plane intermediate the.horizontal"andv the vertical; a plurality of evenly sp'aceddadiallyextending extrusion channels-defined within peripheral portions of said rotor; an =annul-ar ---space"witli-in-the confines of the peripheral portions of said rotor and on the side tli-ereof'fa'cing the vertical; a' product supply chute leading .downwardlyto said annular space fPOIIIabOVG; a pocket wheel within said annular space mounted forrollingmovement with respect totheperipheral portions of said rotor; and the point of rolling contact between said wheel and rotor being below the level of the point of discharge of said chute.

ri l. An extruder assembly for a machine for extrudingaquantity-of particles of a product to form solid, homogeneous rod-like pieces, said assembly including: a-base member constitutingan extrusion H bed, an" extrusion channel defined within said bed and extending between an inlet inouth'and an outletopening, and a flapper pivotally inounte'd onsa'id bed adjacent said opening; said fiapper incorporating a closure like por tion' adapted in-oneposition of the'fiapper about its pivot-axis to cover sai'd opening, said flapper furtherincorporating' a biasing portion movable about the pivot axis-from apposition of maximumeiiectiveness-remote from avertical plane through'theipivotaxis to a position of "minimum effectiveness nearly on a vertical plane through the pivot-axis; and said biasing portion having maximum effectiveness when said closure-like portion "covers said'opening.

l2.- An-extru'sion-nozzle and a flapper pivotally mounted adjacent the dischargeopening of said nozzle; said flapper being 'pivotally movable through about degrees from closed position to open position, said gflapper including a closure portion adaptedto cover said opening when said fiapper isin closed position, and said flapper further-includinga-biasingiportion which causes said closure to bear, firmly against said opening when said flapper in closed position.

13. An extrusion nozzle having an inlet mouth, the opening of said mouth being substantially rectangular, said mouth being reinforced across one side and relieved across the opposite side to define a mouth edge located nearer the outlet end of the nozzle than the corresponding mouth edge of said one side, and said opposite side being reinforced adjacent said relieved mouth edge.

14. A rotary extruder incorporating a plurality of juxtaposed, radially extending nozzle elements, each element defining a. rectangularly shaped nozzle mouth reinforced across one side and relieved across the opposite side to define a mouth edge located nearer the outlet end of the nozzle than the corresponding mouth edge of said one side, the reinforced side of each nozzle element being abutted against the relieved mouth edge of an adjacent element, the reinforced side of each nozzle element thus filling in the space resulting from the relieved portion in an adjacent nozzle I I element, and the opposite side of each nozzle element being reinforced adjacent its relieved portion and supporting the reinforced side of an adjacent nozzle element.

15. An ice extrusion nozzle for extruding ice particles in the form of a substantially craze-free solid rod of ice, said nozzle having side walls defining an extrusion channel of substantially straight central longitudinal axis, said walls extending between an inlet mouth of maximum cross section and a throat of minimum cross section not greater than 60 per cent of the cross section of the mouth, said walls converging arouately, and a chord of the arc of convergence drawn between a point at the mouth and a corresponding point at the throat making a tangent of not greater than .05 with the longitudinal axis.

16. An extrusion nozzle having side walls defining an extrusion channel having an inlet mouth substantially rectangular in cross section and a throat of predetermined nonrectangular cross section and not more than 60 per cent of the cross-sectional area of the month; said extrusion channel including a first portion of substantially constant cross-sectional area changing in shape from rectangular at the mouth to a cross section similar to said predetermined nonrectangular cross section, and a second portion extending from the end of said first portion to said throat and in which said predetermined nonrectangular cross section is maintained while the side walls converge.

17. An extruder assembly for a machine for extruding a quantity of particles of a product to form solid, homogeneous rod-like pieces, said assembly including: a rotor mounted for rotation about an axis; a plurality of evenly spaced, radially outwardly extending extrusion channels defined within peripheral portions of said rotor; an annular space within the confines of the peripheral portions of said rotor; a Wall portion forming a substantially planar surface extending perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of said rotor and substantially sealing off said annular space across one side thereof; a substantially flat-sided pocket wheel within said annular space with its side substantially contiguous with the planar surface of said wall portion and mounted for rolling movement with respect to the peripheral portions of said rotor and about an axis parallel to the rotor axis; a ring gear coaxially integral with said rotor; a motor coupled in driving relationship with said ring gear; a rotor shaft keyed to said rotor and coaxial therewith; a pocket wheel shaft coaxial with said pocket wheel and keyed thereto;

12 and a gear train coupling said shafts in driving relationship.

18. An extruder assembly for a machine for extruding a quantity of particles of a product to form solid homogeneous rod-like pieces, said assembly including: a rotor plate, a coaxial ring plate spaced from said rotor plate, a plurality of replaceable wedges disposed radially between peripheral portions of said plates, and tension elements holding said plates tightly together on said wedges; each of said plates having a peripheral extrusion surface facing the other plate, said wedges having top and bottom surfaces configured to interfit with said extrusion surfaces, each wedge having an extrusion surface on its opposite sides, and the facing extrusion surfaces of each pair of adjacent wedges together with the overlying and underlying plate extrusion surfaces defining an extrusion channel extending from an inner channel mouth to an outer channel throat.

19. An extruder pocket wheel for a machine for extruding a quantity of particles of a product to form solid, homogeneous rod-like pieces, said pocket wheel including: a substantially rigid disk-like body having side portions and a circumferentially extending peripheral portion therebetween, said peripheral portion comprising a series of evenly spaced pockets extending therearound, said disk-like body incorporating yieldable means, said pockets having substantially concave surface portions together forming at least part of the surface of said peripheral portion, said concave surface portions being defined at least in part by said yieldable means.

CROSBY FIELD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES'PATENTS Number Name Date 729,149 Penn May 26, 1903 1,252,821 Lewis Jan. 8, 1918 1,700,208 Paisseau Jan. 29, 1929 1,804,283 Sizer May 5, 1931 1,816,572 Largura July 28, 1931 1,937,174 Taylor Nov. 28, 1933 2,178,009 Helm Oct. 31, 1939 2,245,608 Rogers June 17, 1941 2,303,664 Short Dec. 1, 1942 2,336,114 Meakin Dec. 7, 1943 2,405,272 Smith Aug. 6, 1946 2,425,237 Field Aug. 5, 1947 2,427,644 Field Sept. 16, 1947 2,431,278 Raver Nov. 18, 1947 2,451,986 Slaughter Oct. 19, 1948 2,457,088

Pinney Dec. 21, 1948 

